EIU Board Realigns Colleges

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Published on June 22 2018 4:21 pm
Last Updated on June 22 2018 4:21 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Eastern Illinois University's Board of Trustees Friday approved the university's realignment plan. The adjustments will begin to take shape in July.

Eastern's Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Dr. Jay Gatrell told the Board and campus constituencies in April that by using existing resources, the realignment seeks to be budget-neutral. Also, all staff positions or classifications will remain in place, although some position titles might change.

In the realignment:

--a College of Health and Human Services will be created, housing the new Department of Human Services and Community Leadership, comprising Communication Disorders and Sciences, Family and Community Services programs and related teacher education programs, Health Promotion, Kinesiology/Recreation Administration, Military Science and the Dietetics and RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs

--the Lumpkin College of Business and Technology will be renamed the Lumpkin College of Business and Technology, which will include the School of Business, the School of Technology, and independent programs in Hospitality and Nutrition and Dietetics

--the College of Arts and Humanities and the College of Sciences will be combined and renamed the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, which will house the new unified School of Communication and Journalism and a new School of the Arts (Music, Art and Design, and Theatre), alongside the Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Geology/Geography, English, Foreign Language, History, Mathematics and Computer Science, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology/Anthropology/Criminal Justice departments (the School of Arts will house the Fashion Merchandising and Design program

--the College of Education and Professional Studies will be renamed the College of Education, which will include the renamed School of Extended Learning (Bachelor of General Studies, Lifelong Learning, and Non-Credit programming), the Office of Education and Student Services, and the Counseling and Student Development, Educational Leadership, Special Education, and the Teaching, Learning and Foundation departments

--the focus of the Pine Honors College and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs to work more closely with faculty to deepen EIU's commitment to high-impact practices primarily in research, but also in the areas of study abroad, internships and community engagement

--the Center for Academic Services and Assessment will be renamed the Academic Success Center as part of the centralization of student success initiatives

--the scope of the Office of Faculty Development will be expanded and renamed the Faculty Development and Innovation Center

--the Center for Academic Technology Services will be eliminated and staff will be reassigned to ITS, Web Services and the FDIC based on area of expertise.

While the changes will begin this summer, full implementation could take some time to complete.

The moves are designed to increase the university's appeal and stimulate growth.

Also Friday, the EIU Board gave preliminary approval to a proposed budget for the coming fiscal year.